Never Alone
by Hannio
Summary: One shot Leo and Raph Brotherly Fluff - A particularly bad argument between Leo and Raph ends in a pretty fluffy moment between the two :  Please Review my fluff!


Never Alone

By

Hannio

**Disclaimer – **_None of the characters mentioned in the below work of fiction belong to me in any fashion, I'm merely using them for this story!_

**Author Note – **_Just a little one shot featuring brotherly fluff between Leo and Raph though there is some cute Leo/Donnie bro fluff as well. This story has been a nightmare to get right, it was actually the second one shot I wrote but I just haven't been happy with it so I've tweaked it continually. Now however I find myself satisfied by it. Anyway I hope you enjoy it! Please review!_

"Don't you think you should go after him before he does something stupid?" Donatello remarked calmly breaking the tense silence in their living room. His eyes remained focused on the book he was reading as he continued speaking. "He seemed really upset, more upset then he normally does when you have these pointless arguments with each other." Leonardo sighed out loud and turned his attention from the entrance to the lair to his immediate younger brother with a frown.

"I'm probably the last person Raph wants to see right now Donnie" he pointed out, a tired note to his voice. "I'm the one who has upset him remember? I'm once again the reason he's done a runner. It would be better for everyone if you went after him. He'd be more likely to speak to you and tell you how he feels then me." Donatello remained silent for a moment, turning the page of his book, his eyes remaining glued to it as if it contained the answer to every problem. He hadn't looked up since the argument had finished and Raphael had left their home.

"Leo" he said slowly clearly choosing his words carefully. "You said some pretty harsh things to Raph, much harsher then you normally say to him when you argue. He's going to want to see you regardless of what you may think. He'll need to know that you don't feel that way towards him. You know that what you said was just words spoken in anger, words you don't really mean." Leonardo looked away to the side of him, running his hand across his eyes feeling extremely tired. Donatello was right of course the same way that he was often right about things like this.

Leonardo had known when he said what he had said and seen the look of pain in the amber eyes facing him that he had gone too far. Raphael had been out of the door before Leonardo could gather his thoughts enough to apologies or retract the harmful words. He had turned to Michelangelo about to ask him to go after Raphael but the other turtle was already out of the door sprinting after him, a determined expression on his face.

That had been 30 minutes ago. 30 minutes of staring at the entrance to their home, 30 minutes of waiting for Raphael to return so Leonardo could apologies to him. The only sound breaking the silence were the pages of Donatello's book being turned every so often. When the door had finally opened it had been Michelangelo alone who had walked back in and faced them both, his face surprisingly blank, his voice tinged with a coldness that was normally lacking as he told them both that he hadn't found Raphael. He had then turned and walked up the stairs to his room, closing the door behind him and locking it making it clear that he had no desire to have a conversation with anyone at that time.

"I don't even know where to start looking for him Donnie." He said his voice quiet as he dropped his hand to his side. "You know as well as I do that Raph knows the upper world better then all of us, he must have at least 5 hiding places up there not to mention the big head start he has on me."

"Well then Leo you have two options available to you" Donatello stated blunted. "You can walk out the door and start searching for Raphael, hoping you can reach him in time before he does something stupid like finding a gang of purple dragons and attacking them alone, with absolutely no backup of any sort, which would be done in an attempt to get rid of his anger and hurt caused by your words. Or failing that you can walk up the stairs and speak to Mikey and find out exactly where he is saving yourself a great deal or time and hassle, either way you need to make a decision and pretty quickly." Leonardo frowned at Donatello in confusion.

"What would be the point of asking Mikey? He said he couldn't find him." He pointed out. Donatello snorted in a way that sounded exactly like Raphael before finally raising his eyes to look at Leonardo directly in the eye, his eyes surprisingly sympathetic.

"And you actually believed him?" he questioned, his voice soft, almost amused sounding. "Mikey was gone for 25 minutes Leo, trust me when I say that he found Raph all right. He wouldn't be back here if he hadn't. My guess is that he found him within seconds of leaving the lair; Mike is after all a much faster runner then Raph. He would have spoken to him, walked with him and saw where he was going so he would know in case something happens. He would have extracted a promise from him that Raphie would definitely come home. They would have agreed a time limit and if Raph was later then that then Mike would go after him. Then he would have left him so he could sort out his own thoughts. Do you honestly not know the way the pair of them functions by now? They are best friends after all they know exactly what the other needs and when. Mikey clearly felt Raphael needed solitude or something"

Leonardo shrugged his shoulder, not answering Donatello's question as he lowered his eyes. He was normally observant but often little things about his brothers escaped his radar without him meaning them to.

"Mike has locked his door Donnie, I doubt that he wants to speak to me at this moment, he's probably pissed off at me on Raph's behalf." He pointed out feeling worse by the moment. He had been a real jerk.

"I highly doubt it since it is Mike we're talking about, he won't get involved in your row with Raph, he never has and he never will it's simply not his style. As far as he is concerned and I'm concerned it's between the two of you and you'll sort it out the same as you always do." Donatello said "But if I was you Leo, I really would get a move on, there's no guarantee that Raphie will stay in the same spot. You know how restless he gets when he's upset over something."

"You're right" Leonardo stated turning his gaze away towards Michelangelo's room with a determined look. "Thanks for the advice Donnie" he turned and walked across the living room aware of Donatello watching him leave. He knew the other turtle well enough to know that he was feeling worried, not that he could blame him when Raphael got upset he tended to become highly unpredictable. Leonardo ran lightly up the stairs and walked along the upper corridor coming to a stop outside his youngest brother's room.

He stared at the closed door for a moment before letting out a noisy breath and lifting his hand and knocking, calling out as he did so.

"Mikey I need to talk to you; will you open the door up please?" There was a moment's silence before he heard the lock move and the door open to reveal Michelangelo. He didn't open the door fully instead standing in the doorway, his hand grasping the door as he fixed Leonardo with a questioning look.

"What's up?" He asked. Leonardo blinked for a moment at the calm tone Michelangelo used which was so different from his usual one before gathering his thoughts and speaking.

"I need to know where Raph is Mikey, I need to speak to him, and I need to say I'm sorry I was a real…" he hesitated as he tried to think of the correct word.

"Asshole?" Michelangelo prompted sounding amused, a smile coming to his face as he waited for Leonardo's response. Leonardo shrugged his shoulders.

"Well I was going to use another word but asshole will do." He said "Tell me where he is Mikey so I can go to him and sort this whole mess out so he can come home." Michelangelo met his eyes with an almost regretful look in them before shaking his head slowly.

"I wish I could tell you Leo but I can't. I'm sorry but I promised Raph I wouldn't tell you or Donnie if either of you asked. I can't break my word to him, he'd never trust me again and Raphie needs someone to rant to every now and then to stop him from doing something stupid that we all know he would regret." Leo frowned at him.

"He could be in danger Mike did you think of that? He could need help." He pointed out, Michelangelo's eyes moved away from his for a moment focusing on the door frame with a frown before turning his gaze back to Leonardo.

"Not Raph" he replied confidently "I'd feel sorry for anyone who was stupid to attack him about now. I'm sorry Leo but I really can't tell you." Leonardo nodded slowly

"Well there's nothing more I can say then, I best get out there and start searching for him." he stated coldly turning away from Michelangelo and walking back down the corridor, he didn't get his brother sometimes. He would have thought that he would have wanted to help him.

"Leo" he stopped at Michelangelo's voice but didn't look behind him. "If I was going to search for Raph then I would head to the North. He likes that area better then any other" Leonardo smiled softly.

"Will do Mike" he called back, running lightly down the stairs and out the lair without another word to anyone. He headed to the North determined to find Raphael and quickly. He knew from past knowledge that Raphael had two places he hung out in the North section of the sewers, places he went when he needed to clear his head, placed he went to when he didn't trust himself to keep his temper.

Leonardo came to a stop at a junction and looked down the two corridors now facing him with a frown on his face. It had been a while since he had to go to this area and he couldn't remember off the top of his head which corridor he was meant to go down. He tilted his head to the side and looked down both of them listening intently for any sound which might enlighten him. He wasn't sure how long he stood there until a slight sound; the sound of someone shifting on something had him sprinting down the corridor to the left. He was close he could tell. He came to a stop by a makeshift door and glanced through it.

Raphael was seated on a large piece of rock, legs pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around him, head resting on them as he stared at the wall in front of him in silence. He looked defeated. Leonardo sucked in a breath at the sight. He had never seen his younger brother look like this. He pushed the door opened and walked in, pulling the door closed behind him.

Raphael had looked up at him when he entered the room and was now was watching with hostile eyes though his posture didn't change other then to stiffen slightly. He was clearly displeased at seeing Leonardo.

"Hi" Leonardo said his voice quiet. For a moment he thought Raphael was going to ignore him completely but then he spoke, his voice rough and angry.

"Go away Leo" Leonardo took a step forward towards him before forcing himself to stop. Raphael had the posture of a wild animal which had been hurt and was on the defensive. He had to take this slowly so the younger turtle didn't bolt or attack.

"No" he said firmly "I'm not leaving without you." Raphael turned his head on his knee to fix him with a probing look before he turned back to his original position, eyes focusing back on the wall.

"You best get comfortable then because I'm not planning on going anywhere with you Leonardo." he said. Leonardo winced at the voice. It sounded emotionless, completely different to how he usually sounded. The fact that Raphael had used his full name as well was never a good sign either; he only did that when he was really upset. He glanced around him his gaze focusing on a chair near the grate in the ceiling, clearly Raphael came here to sit and stare up at the world that they didn't belong in. Walking up to it he sat in it, his eyes glancing up for a moment before turning his attention back to Raphael.

The younger turtle was watching him again clearly surprised that Leonardo had actually taken a seat; clearly he had expected Leonardo to call him impossible and leave.

"I like the view from here" Leonardo said awkwardly pointing above him. He didn't know what to say, normally he always had the right speech prepared but this was different this time, this time he really hurt Raphael.

"That's nice to know." Raphael said, he moved, coming to his feet and heading towards the entrance, clearly if Leonardo wasn't going to leave then he would. Leonardo came to his own feet.

"Raphie please, don't go, I need to talk to you" Raphael stopped and gave him a strange look "What?" Leonardo asked in confusion upon seeing it.

"Nothing" Raphael muttered looking away; he hesitated though allowing Leonardo to continue.

"I'm sorry Raph, those things I said, about how useless and pathetic you are and about how you weren't needed, none of it was true. I was just angry because you were rushing off again and you were going to come home injured again and I hate that, the other 2 hate it as well but I went about it the wrong way and I'm sorry, I was an asshole." Raphael raised an eye ridge at that but remained silent watching Leonardo with an intense, searching look. Leonardo waited for him to speak.

"You were an asshole." He said eventually, bringing his hand up and rubbing the back of his neck the same way he always did when he was feeling awkward. "But so was I, let's just forget it ok?" he asked. Leonardo nodded his shoulders slumping in relief. That was a great deal easier then he had thought it would be.

"Shall we go back to the lair? I think Donnie and Mike want to see with their own eyes that you are ok." Leonardo asked after a moment of silence. Raphael nodded, averting his eyes as he followed Leonardo out of the room and down the tunnel in silence.

"Do you ever feel alone Leo?" Raphael suddenly asked breaking the easy silence between them. Leonardo glanced over his shoulder with a look of surprise.

"Alone?" he repeated "I guess occasionally I do but only when you guys aren't around." Raphael nodded his head staring at the ground causing Leonardo to frown at him and come to a stop twisting round so he was completely facing Raphael.

"Raph what's wrong?" he asked, a tone of worry in his voice "Has this been bugging you lately? Do you feel alone or something?"

"It's not important Leo, forget I said anything. It was a stupid question to ask." Raphael stated brushing past him; Leonardo grabbed his arm and looked him directly in the eye, an intense look in his own.

"Listen to me and actually listen to me for once. Regardless of everything that happens Raph, all the stupid arguments and words between us you're still my brother and I still love you and I always will even if you drive me round the bend every day. You're never ever alone while I'm still breathing you got that. I won't allow it." Raphael looked at him for a moment before a rare genuine smile covered his face.

"Thanks Leo." he commented "Now let's go home before Mikey drinks all my coke again and I'm forced to give him yet another beating." he said, Leonardo smiled and nodded following Raphael. Everything was back to the way it was meant to be.

_**Author Note – All done, I hope you enjoyed it! Please review thanks**_


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